Raise the Centipor!
by grelber37
Summary: Raise the Centipor! is prototypical eclectic fanfiction. I take the "toys"/characters from several titles, and they meet in an atypical setting, not New York. Furthermore, Marvel villains have the stage much of the time, and they are atypical protagonists. This tale is, in many ways, playful, although it contains some grit and horror appealing to mature tastes.
1. Chap 1: The Five Deadly

**Chapter 1: The Five Deadly**

Two large men march shivering Martha Connors forth. A goliath biker pushes on her back. And, beside her, 6' 3" Snake Marston sallies and sways like a skipping satyr. Enforcer Marston seems to enjoy his job. Seemingly, his conscience bothers him little. Martha's teeth chatter in the dusk air. Her nylon stockings and rayon blouse provide insufficient protection from the cool and the wind. She trembles with nervous energy. The kidnapped Mrs. Connors feels vulnerable and discomfited. Naknek, Alaska, is far from her New York City. Around her, there is a wide-open space of concrete leading to thick forest with a stormy sea beyond. Dangerous men are the only thing close to her currently, and she spies more dangerous men approaching over the stark expanse. Her heart sinks.

Four men drag her husband Curt toward her from the cannery behind them. The cannery is where they have been mistreating him for several hours. The facility is closed for the season since there are no salmon around, and it has been the perfect place to rough-up Curt. They are two-miles northeast of town, and no one can hear anyone scream. Dr. Connors is in his underwear, and his battered body is on display in the failing light and chilling air. The evil mutant Toad has Curt's single arm hammerlocked behind his back as he marches his captive forward. Beside Toad, big brute Ammo drags Curt in a harsh headlock. Accompanying Ammo, his henchmen the Wildboys smack and kick helpless cur Connors along.

Lizard's wife knows that she must be strong as she has often been while married to the Lizard. Approaching, Curt looks into her eyes. The good doctor seems wearied but resolved too. Behind her, the guiding goliath grabs her hair hard to halt her.

"Have you been taking care of her, Baby Elmo?" Toad asks the giant. Baby Elmo grunts.

"Elmo's good people," Ammo comments, "My crew is only the goodest bad men from Hell's Kitchen."

"Apparently, you do not even believe in grammar" is a thought that Dr. Connors keeps to himself. He has been brutalized enough.

Wildboy Spit produces a switchblade and slices Curt with it. He cackles, "We're the baddest!"

Martha cringes. She prays that her beloved changes into a monster soon. Curt prays the same. The Wildboys and Ammo are barbaric freaks. Spit is white facepaint, a gangling tongue, and a fright wig wrapped in a decrepit tweed jacket. Jet is shades, a shaggy face, and a shaggy pate wearing a leather jacket and steel-toes. Ammo is a shaven dome with an eyepatch and feather earrings over branded biceps and combat boots.

Wildboy Jet samples some of the dribbling blood. "Yeah, we bad, we bad," he is some kind of crazy.

Ammo is amused with his merry man's antics. But, he composes himself, "Say, Snake, I thank you for hiring the baddest butchers in Hell's Kitchen. But, I got to ask you, man. Where's your usual crew? Where're the Enforcers?"

"Yeah, I would like to know that too," Toad ogles Enforcer ominously, "When I hired you, I thought that you would use your usual established unit."

Snake shifts around uncomfortably, "Weeeell, I am not the leader of the Enforcers. Fancy Dan is, and he wasn't too fancy on messing with the Lizard. Even Ox said that he would not personally be so stupid."

Ammo releases his crushing headlock. He wipes away the sweat gathered on his brow from brutalizing Dr. Connors, "Well, I do not mind a free trip to Alaska to use my professional skills. I was a soldier in the army, and I am a mercenary now. Dark operations are kinda my thing."

Snake smiles, "You bad-asses have a good rep. You and your boys beat-down Daredevil severely a few years back [see _Daredevil_ #259-260]. You were the right degenerates for this job."

"Yes, great job kidnapping the Connors from Anchorage," Toad adds, "I needed a mad scientist—more brilliant than myself—to come to Alaska. Then, Dr. Connors came to Anchorage to give a guest lecture. You hard men abducted his wife and him. And, we need now only torment him into aiding our machinations in the Aleutians."

"You're the mad one, Toad! What you want is absurd," the brilliant biologist bellows.

"Nooo!" Toad screams like a child. Like a bully, he twists Connors' one arm painfully.

"If you bust his wing, he'll be less able to work," Jet states the obvious.

Toad releases the arm. The hurt, half-naked man falls to the cement. The crazed mutant dances around in a tizzy and a frenzy. Thugs Jet and Spit find the spastic show amusing. Toad spits apoplectically and balls his fists. He grinds his teeth and tears his hair. He stomps his forceful, emphatic feet. Finally, he calms a wee.

Mortimer Toynbee explains, "Dr. Connors, Dr. Demonicus operated a volcanic lair on Unalaska Island in the Aleutians a while back. There, he made giant monsters so grand that they could challenge Godzilla. He made several. I only want and need to create one. With it, I shall conquer Alaska as Magneto took Genosha. Just as Dark Phoenix conquered the universe, just as Scarlet Witch altered the world, just as Dr. Doom took over Latveria, so shall I become the Terrible Toad-King of Alaska!"

Snake Marston rolls his eyes. He did not know that Mortimer was this nuts when Snake took this job.

Dr. Connors stands. The man of reason scoffs, "I do not think that Alaska has many toads, and I do not see you being the head one."

"We must raise the Centipor!" daft Toad persists. Perturbed, he right-hooks the captive's jaw. The Lizard's vulnerable alter-ego flops to the hard ground again. Martha Connors appraises her husband concerned.

"Pardon me. What the f**king hell's a f**king Centipor?" Baby Elmo inquires behind Martha.

"It's a mutated centipede, a hundred feet long and mighty as s**t," Toad thrashes his scary elongated tongue about, "Dr. Demonicus created a Centipor once [see _Godzilla_ #4]. I wish to re-create one and to conquer Alaska—especially if the enormous arthropod is warm-blooded."

"Oh," says Elmo.

The Baby's utterances have drawn attention to Martha in his clamps. Ammo grabs Curt by the ear, and he yanks him to his knees. The gang leader snaps his fingers, and the Wildboys move. The Wildboys approach Martha with giggles and leers. She tries to stay stoic in the face of fiends.

"Hey, Curt, do you wanna see what Wildboys do to your wife?" Ammo directs the doctor's gaze to the scene unfolding.

"Hey, Ammo, do you want to see what the Lizard will do to you?" Curt threatens back.

Ammo snaps his fingers sharply again, and the Wildboys pause like two confused canines. Salivating, anxious Jet and Spit await direction. Their master instructs, "Let's take both Connors back into the cannery. We can tune-up Curt some more. And, we can 'tune-up' Mrs. Connors where it's warm."

"Hey, Ammo," utters Snake Marston, "Technically, Toad and I are in charge here."

The four barbarians laugh. The hellraisers from Hell's Kitchen hurry husband and wife toward their miserable fates. Ammo re-assures his employer, "Dude, I've been doing dirty deeds for a long time. Connors'll crack soon. He just needs to see what more we'll do to him—and to his wife."

"I don't need to see more!" someone shouts from behind. Lowlifes look behind them. They see Scorpion, sinister Spider-Man foe, standing there, and he looks really pissed. Terrible tail and deadly dukes are raised and everything.

Snake explains Scorpion's surprise presence, "I invited another professional interrogator: Mac Gargan the Scorpion. We needed someone who could handle the Lizard if Dr. Connors transformed when angry or outraged. But, Mac has apparently been running late."

Scorpion shouts back, "You know, Marston, I am a professional interrogator, and I never agreed to using torture!"

This reply surprises Snake a bit. Normally, Scorpion loves brutalizing people. He has even bitten off the flesh of foes. However, Marston realizes that they are all crazy here tonight. Toad and Scorpion are as manic, irrational, and mercurial as maniacs get. Ammo and his three are sociopathic sadists. Snake does not especially have a conscience himself. Dr. Connors has a distinct dark side, and Mrs. Connors is nutty enough to stay with him. So, Scorpion objects to the torture? Of course he does. His hang-up fits.

"Well, what would you have happen now, Mac?" Snake asks.

The winds increase. With a fury, Scorpion springs the distance between parties. His boots land upon Elmo's thick neck—snapping it. The 300-pound thug drops to the dirt dead. In an instant, Scorpion whips his tail around and Snake Marston goes flying. He lands hard in the distance. The Enforcer is unlikely out. A master contortionist might somewhat roll with even Scorpion's wallop. Savage Scorpion turns toward the Wildboys. Jet produces a Saturday night special and fires futilely at Scorpion's body armor. Spit threatens impotently with his switchblade. The creature-man crashes into Jet while his tail skewers Spit. Gargan's right fist shatters Jet's sunglasses and fractures his face. Scorpion's left hand acts like a pincer crumpling Jet's gunhand, mangling both gun and hand. Simultaneously, Scorpion's tail pops forth its "stinger", and the ten-inch metal spike stabs into Spit's chest. Spit's mouth gushes blood. The tail takes the gasping, gurgling goon high into the air; then, it slams his carcass into distressed Jet. The Wildboys lie tamed.

"I ain't impressed," Ammo watches his gang's gruesome demise. He squares-up his shoulders and stares-down Scorpion.

"I ain't impressed that you ain't impressed," Scorpion strolls toward him, "What you got, tough guy?"

"I got this," soldier Ammo produces a grenade. He throws it.

Instantly, speedy Scorpion bats the bomb back. The armament explodes Ammo. Daredevil's old tormenter is blown to Hell. Gory gobbets patter the pavement. Martha Connors gasps. Toad guffaws, for Scorpion just smoothly turned Snake's men into splattered schmucks. It was funny.

"Beautiful," Toad declares, "I bet that you can make Dr. Connors here talk where those clowns couldn't."

"What do you even want him for?" p.i. Gargan investigates.

"To raise the Centipor!" blares Toad.

"Whatever the f**k that means," Scorpion prepares to battle the evil mutant. Magneto's man is a terror known throughout the civilized world and criminal underworld. Surely, Toad is not exactly a chump. The fearsome fighter focuses on his foe. So focused, Scorpion does not detect Snake Marston sprinting back toward him. Fortunately, Martha notices through the sunset shadows.

"Look out!" Mrs. Connors points.

"Look here, little lady!" Toad leaps toward her. Exhausted Mr. Connors collapses to the ground.

Charging Snake launches himself toward Scorpion. Scorpion's tail flicks, and it bounces the rubber man off the firmament. Scorpion raises his tail high in threat. Then his tail's electric blaster jolts the rubber man—who is not actually rubber. Then, Scoripion's stinger stabs Marston through the shoulder and lifts him toward the irritated Spider-rogue.

"Contort out of that," Gargan taunts.

Nearby, a sticky appendage hits Martha's breastbone beneath her blouse, and Toad's tongue yanks her fliply from her feet. Like a webline, it drags her quickly to him. The grotesque man grabs Martha by her sides and stands her upright. He returns his tongue to his mouth to speak. But, he does not address the woman.

Instead, Toad turns to skewered Snake suspended before Scorpion. "Hang in there. I can't help. I need to keep the Connors. We must raise the Cenitpor!" Marston moans.

Semi-conscious Curt struggles to his feet. He loves his wife, and he will defend her. The amputee swings at his adversary. Toad backhands him hard. The slimeball slaps Martha for good measure. _He_ is in-charge. He grabs her by the waist, and he grabs him by the waist. A captive in each arm, the creature prepares to leap. Scorpion sees this. He flings Snake Marston from his spike.

Toad jumps. Scorpion launches too by coiling his terrible tail behind his bad ass. Savior Scorpion knocks beleaguered lady loose from the creep's arm. She screams plummeting. Like a champion, Scorpion catches her before she hits solid surface. She touches down nicely. MacDonald "Mac" Gargan should have played for the New York Smashers.


	2. Chap 2: Boo! Hiss!

**Chapter 2: Boo! Hiss!**

Martha Connors scolds Scorpion, "Toad still has Curtis! You idiot! You could have tackled Toad from the air and rescued us both!"

"I know what I'm doing," Scorpion replies, "I couldn't just tackle Toad from the air. Everyone would fall about sixteen feet with him—including you two buttercups."

"Spider-Man could have saved us from a mid-air plunge!" Martha yells.

Scorpion hates hearing that. He snarls, "Take off your belt and pantyhose!"

"What?" Mrs. Connors is surprised.

"Give me your g****m clothes!"

Billy Connors' mother gathers herself, " _The Daily Bugle_ has never mentioned that the infamous Scorpion is a pervert."

"I'm not," the professional puffs, "But, do you see that sucker slithering on the cement over there? I can't kill him because he's a member of the Enforcers. They would come after me. Then, I would have to kill them too, and I don't need that stink. Let's just tie-up Sylvester Marston over there. Then, we can retrieve your husband before Toad messes him up much further. Time's-a-wasting."

"You're going to bind a contortionist?" Martha second-guesses Mac.

A villain slaps her for the second time this afternoon, "I ain't no hero. Right now, I'm just pissed-off about these sickos manhandling you two. They could ruin my esteemed reputation."

Martha's eyes glare daggers, and she stands still as cold steel. The Mac walks away from her. He expounds, "Am I gonna bind a contortionist? Yeah, I am. He ain't gonna slip his bonds. He'll be unconscious."

"You're not so tough," Marston stands on rubbery legs. Snake has hope that his supple form might strangle Scorpion yet.

"Boy, look at me," Scorpion seizes Snake's dome. Headbutt, headbutt, headbutt. Gargan hammers Marston's brow. The human reptile goes limp, and a goose-egg forms on his forehead.

From behind, Martha hands Scorpion her belt and pantyhose. She will get the villain for this. Or perhaps, her monstrous husband will at some point. A coolness carries on the wind. Scorpion ties. Martha clears her throat, and her chin indicates the cannery toward which Curt and Mortimer flew.

Inside the cannery, Toad's hand pins Dr. Connors upon an inactive conveyor belt. Toad slaps the wearied prisoner, "Oh, Cuuuuurtis, you need to wake up and smell the coffee. You need to become conscious of the fact that you must make my monster. We must raise the Centipor!"

"I don't feel well," the pummeled prof pines.

"Well, you are going to feel worse soon. What is there around with which to maim you?" Toad waddles about the closed cannery, "Let us see. There are hoses to whip you, scalers to skin you, knives to open you like a fish, ropes to suspend you, meathooks to suspend you, tubs to dunk you, kettles to boil you. . . . ."

Flat on his back, Connors looks at the lights hanging overhead. They look quite grayish, for some reason. Curt flicks a long tongue over his lips and nose. He wishes that somehow, someway, he could become the Lizard right now. Toad would be in trouble then. Behind Toad's back, the beset flops off the conveyor belt, and he scampers beneath it.

Ninety feet away, Toad is unaware of his prey's activities. Mortimer muses to himself, "I cannot believe that Scorpion knocked Martha from my arm. I swear. Mac Gargan should have played for the New York Smashers. Of course, Smasher Scorpion could blitz the cannery at any moment. So I had better move things along."

Serendipitously, Toad spots just the right expedient: a roll of shrinkwrap. A roll can bludgeon a boob pretty well. It can wrap a wretch's head and arrest his breathing. Toad likes the encountered tool. In one happy hop, Toad returns to his captive. He wonders where the hell his captive is. Morty slaps his thigh and whistles, and he calls Curt like a cur.

Sheltering, Curt barks back. "I don't feel so hot!" Connors feels a chill in his blood, "And, I'm hungry!" He smells rats around him, and he would love to consume one right now.

A pest answers, "Well, canned salmon is kept in brine. Maybe, I should dump gallons of brine down your gullet."

"No, I have decccided what I want to consssume," the metahuman raises his head like a monitor, "Dinner iss Toad'sss leg!"

Connors captures his captor's calf like a komodo clamps upon a goat. Fangs sink in, and blood gushes out. The mad scientist sucks in the iron-rich ichor. He shakes savagely the meat in his mouth, hoping to wholly swallow it. Screaming, Toad leaps two stories straight up. Teeth rip free from leg. Mutate drops from mutant. Toad returns to the ground too. He lands upon his loused limb. He grimaces in pain and screams in anguish. He opens his eyes. A leathery, powerful right hand lays Toad low. And, normally, Curt Connors has no right appendage at all.

Saurian orbs consider the regenerated hand before them. They discover their visage in a stainless steel cupboard door. Behind those eyes, a sapient mind realizes that he is only partially transformed. If he wishes, he can complete his transformation, and the Lizard will probably complete his feast of Toad. Or, Curt Connors can walk away and bring the inner beast back into check. Deciding, the man-monster bends cupboard door around his captor. His feet shuffle him outside as his arm atrophies. There, he runs into Scorpion arriving to rescue him. The hardened superthug has the stomach to watch Curt's flesh morph back to normal. Then, Mac tells the doctor that a plane awaits nearby. The two captive Connors can finally get out of here.

"Scorpion and I can take you Connors folks back to Anchorage. From there, you can return to New York City, home sweet home," hirsute Hugh assures mussed, maltreated Martha, "Scorpion is also taking Snake on the plane. Those two are returning to Gotham too eventually."

Martha only met Hugh just now when he emerged from the woods. He is a grizzled, long-haired, bearded man with a Southern drawl. He claims to be a pilot and an inventor. His innovativeness is on-display, in fact. With him, Hugh has brought an all-terrain wagon, and he is transporting unconscious Marston upon it.

Hugh states, "I believe in working smart rather than working too hard. My father always said, 'Don't tell me how hard you worked. Tell me how much you got done'. Well, I figure that I am getting a lot done without encountering my own sweat nor this lowlife's blood and drool."

Scruffy Hugh does seem ironically health-conscious indeed. For example, he assures Mrs. Connors that a good bushpilot always takes plenty of medical supplies into the wild. Within his floatplane, she shall find slippers and a spaceblanket with which to warm up, and her husband shall have all of the remedies that his marrings could require. The two walk toward Kvichak Bay where the transport sits. At the plane, Hugh tells Martha to wait a moment outside in the chilly evening while he radios someone. He must communicate with aviation officials in Anchorage. He takes a full eight minutes during which Martha prays to God that badman Scorpion can deliver her husband. Then, Hugh offers a gloved hand to Martha, and she steps into the transport's safe interior. Scorpion jogs up with limp Curt bouncing upon his shoulder. Mrs. Connors is greatly grateful. The fierce ruffian gently hands husband to wife, and she begins caring for him. Scorpion tosses Snake Marston into the cabin like firewood. He carefully stows Hugh's wagon away.

"I did not see Toad at the cannery. But, I also did not look for him," Mac Gargan reports, "He's a coward and a crazy anyway. The Toad probably buried himself in the dirt instead of mess with me."

"Yeah, I saw that you massacred four toadies in gruesome fashion," Hugh comments, "They were attracting gulls already when I fetched Mrs. Connors from the lot."

"Good," Gargan is not the sentimental type. The plane starts up and flies past a beautiful flock of seabirds.


	3. Chap 3: Never Ask a Scorpion

**Chapter 3: Never Ask a Scorpion**

The floatplane glides above The Last Frontier, as Alaska is known. Out of the window, Mac Gargan beholds Katmai National Park and its sylvan beauty. Goon Gargan is not a sensitive man, but he must admit that the green soothes after a battle. At his feet, Snake Marston lies prostrate, a captive. In fact, Scorpion places both boots upon the flattened Snake. The battered fighter appears still k. . Bound, he appears still immobile. After helping her husband, Martha Connors insisted upon bandaging Snake's bleeding shoulder. The Catholic woman stated that mercy is a cardinal virtue. Like Scorpion gives a s**t! Next time, the killer criminal might go after Martha and the Lizard just like Toad's gang did. This time, Scorpion saved them. But, he was hired to interrogate them. That is what happened. Greed and wrath are "virtues" too. Scorpion has impersonated Spider-Man in the past, but no one should ever think him a hero.

Mac sucks smoke from a meerschaum pipe. Before take off, he asked Hugh jokingly if there was smoking on this flight. America does not allow smoking anywhere anymore. The pilot said that he had no cigars to celebrate Scorpion's recent tour de force. However, he did smoke pipes, and there was one, never used, available. Scorpion is now smoking that meerschaum contentedly. However, he notices something odd. The pipe's gift case is from the Baxter Building tobacco shop. So, that is interesting. But, that detail might not mean anything.

Hugh sees that his aircraft approaches Kodiak Island, east of Katmai's forest. His group has no plan to stop in Kodiak, but it is on the way to Anchorage. The blue of Shelikof Strait, west of the island, appears beneath the plane. Now is a good time to report to certain parties. Hugh speaks into his headset, confident that no passengers overhear him.

"Col. Harris, I have no Centipor sighting to report. Toad Toynbee's machinations have been unsuccessful," Hugh reports, "Truth be told, Scorpion made sure that the efforts failed. Unexpectedly, he went berserk on his outlaw buddies."

"Jeezus. What set-off the man?" Harris inquires.

Hugh replies, "He found Toad and Snake using strongarm tactics on Dr. Connors. The ex-detective felt that they should just use their words. As you know, interrogation and coercion can be an art. We certainly thought so at SHIELD, back when I worked there. So anyway, the former Lethal Protector slaughtered four of Marston's men."

Harris harumphs, "Who can predict a psychopath? I am surprised that Gargan judges his fellow human animals such as Toad Toynbee and Snake Marston. Normally, Scorpion is a bête noire himself."

The pilot chuckles, "Agreed, Scorpion is a monster. I flew him from Anchorage to Naknek after he arrived. He ain't right upstairs. No surprise."

"And, you know your monsters," the colonel comments, "You have even seen them in Alaska before."

The pilot recounts, "It was my pleasure to serve SHIELD under Dum Dum Dugan. He, several others (the Fantastic Four among them), and I chased around Godzilla for a while. I even got to see the giant Centipor's carcass soon after Godzilla killed it. That was in the Aleutians, in Alaska, as you indicate. Specifically, we were on Unalaska Island where Dr. Demonicus operated and where he created the big, damn Centipor."

"U.S. intelligence keeps an eye on aspiring dictator Demonicus," Col. Harris explicates, "Therefore, we noticed when someone hacked him. That hacker—likely Toad—accessed information on the mad scientist's Alaska operations."

"Therefore, you dispatched me," Hugh recalls, "I infiltrated Toad's plot as Scorpion's pilot." The floatplane continues forward over northern Kodiak Island.

Toward the craft's tail, the Connors recuperate from their ordeal. Both rest beneath space blankets set side-by-side. Curt murmurs semi-conscious in Martha's ear. She tries to listen. Being the Lizard's wife is not easy. On occasion, she has left him. However, she has always returned, for mercy is a virtue, and she supposes that good spouses stay together.

"Curtis," she addresses her man stoically, "be strong."

The infirm man reaches for her hand, "You know, Toad is crazy. He actually believes that a herpetologist—albeit a damn good one—can somehow, someway mutate a common chilopoda into a Centipor. That mad mutant is simply bizarre."

"Mortimer Toynbee is imaginative, inventive, and insane," Sylvester Marston tells Mac Gargan elsewhere in the aircraft, "He believes all sorts of things. He thinks up all sorts of plans and things."

Snake has awoken. And, Scorpion has the prisoner up on his knees for interrogation. Scorpion grimaces into the thug's face, "Who thought-up torturing the Connors. I don't like being associated with that kind of s**t!"

Snake smiles, "I did. Ammo did. The Wildboys and Baby Elmo followed. We're savages. We're merciless Enforcers. We're devils straight out of Hell's Kitchen. What are you, gutless Gargan?"

Gargan blows thick, foul pipe smoke into the devil's face, ""Was Toad the Evil Mutant overseeing it all? What part did he play?"

"Toad organized this job. He hired me, and I contacted everyone else," Snake tells Scorpion about the animal cracker Toad who kidnapped Lizard.

Like his namesake, Scorpion tightens his clamps on his quarry, "Did Toad torture Connors? Give me a straight answer. Did he tarnish my rep? I'll make head cheese of the head cheese if he did!"

"You should consume Toad's brains, you addled idiot," Snake Marston retorts, "You know that Toynbee roughed-up Curt Connors even while you were there. He did beforehand too."

"Mutie mutha****a!" Scorpion exclaims.

Marston answers with a serpent's tongue, "Say, I have a question for you, Scorp. Did you remember to disable the mutie mutha****a before fleeing from him?"

"Fleeing? I ain't afraid of nobody, boy," Scorpion shakes Snake, "However, no, I did not cripple Toad before leaving. Lizard might have."

"Oh," Snake smirks.

"Why are you even asking?" Gargan wonders, "Toad is hundreds of miles back, and he ain't gonna jump on this plane. The little loser will have to track down Dr. Connors and me in New York if he wants a piece."

"Oh, but he won't have to," Snake sneers.

"How's that?" Scorpion sneers back.

"You see, good ol' Mortimer did not fly into Alaska with the others and me," Marston says.

"Yeah so? How'd Toad get here? Hop a cruise?" Mac practices sarcasm.

"The mad inventor has his own rocket suit complete with explosive missiles," the Enforcer answers, "He has used weaponized exoskeletons in the past on missions, and he has one with him now."

Scorpion is a veteran supervillain, and the Master of Evil knows that the Evil Mutant is on his way. He does not anticipate Snake's next move though. In an instant, the crafty contortionist slips his bonds, and his palmstrike slams the smoking pipe into Gargan's mouth. Anyone's tongue and gums are sensitive. Mac spits the hot object. But, Marston already has the drop on him. Sly Sylvester jumps upon Scorpion's back, pinning his tail. Like an anaconda, the rubber man wraps around the prey and squeezes. Thewy arms encompass the captive's neck and expertly cut his air.

"I have choked-out Spider-Man. Give up, Gargan!" the Snake sharply susurrates into an ear.

Scorpion rasps, "Like hell you have. I don't believe that. Typically, you have four f***ing helpers, and Spidey still kicks your asses."

Snake snarls, "I'm an expert grappler who fatally crushed gangster Duke Dawson [see _Machine Man_ #16]."

"Whoever the f**k that is," Scorpion comments.

"I was working for Baron Brimstone at the time, and I shall now send you to Hell!" the grappler brags and intimidates.

"Whoever the f**k that is," Scorpion comments some more. His eyes roll, but he can breathe pretty well.

Perspiring profusely, Snake pulls back upon his prey. With high hopes, the arching villain should snap Scorpion in half. With great force, Scorpion's tail easily flicks the Enforcer backward into the plane's steel interior. It hurts. Scorpion is free, and he turns to face Snake Marston.

"Dammit, I had leverage," Marston bemoans on the deck.

"No, my tail had leverage. And, I had more strength in my butt than you had in your whole body too," Gargan mocks, "The only leverage that you could have had was taking the pilot hostage just now. That is what I would have done, ya Ani-Man wannabe."

Yards away, Martha Connors shields her hurting husband. She sees the cracked window behind where Snake slammed. There is no breach in the vessel, but one would be a disaster. She prays that none occur while the villains brawl.

Scorpion takes another stab at Snake. Once again, the enhanced fighter pops his tail's sticker. Swiftly, it stabs Snake's limbs several times in succession. The contortionist's arms and legs wrap his face and torso, but they provide porous protection as the predator persistently punctures them.

"You had better hope that Toad arrives soon," Scorpion admonishes.

Right on cue, Toad comes crashing through the plane's hull. Like a cannonball, he perforates the tail section. And, a wicked wind pours through. It rips the protective blanket and comforting slippers from Martha's person. The shrieking wind overawes Martha's own screams. In the terrible torrent, she grabs for the bench bolted to the plane's steel interior. Her other hand reaches for her swooning husband spinning and rising into mid-air. Suddenly, the air sucks dear Curtis into the empty sky above the deep blue sea. Again, Martha screams, and her shriek almost pierces the howl.

Whooshing, Toad propels past pilot Hugh's window. "A rocketeer!" Hugh exclaims in surprise.

The mad mutant streaks far before the shaking craft's nose. Then, he turns back around and charges. Hugh gets a good look at him. Like a fighter pilot, Toad wears a jumpsuit, a helmet, and a facemask. Upon his back, he has a rocket pack. Upon the pack's sides, there are arms for six small missiles. Toad fires an explosive when he is nearly atop his target. It should be a direct hit.

However, master pilot Hugh banks the floatplane down and to the right. Miraculously, he evades the munition. The maneuver levitates Scorpion and Snake—still brawling—from the cabin floor. Hugh knows that he bank back toward Kodiak Island. Perhaps, he can make land. Perhaps, he can land on the water. But, no matter what, his party must get out of the sky. They have a huge honking hole in the plane and a flying maniac fixing to explode them. Hugh has uncommon skill, and he has true grit. He fixes upon the green foliage and brown firmament of Kodiak Island re-appearing before him. Behind him, the two thugs hit the floor harshly. Then, Hugh drops the nose for a sharp descent. The two stooges solidly hit steel ceiling. Martha remains clinging to life in the back. The cold air lashes her skin and clothes. The rushing air current yanks the breath from her breast.

Sans mercy, Toad fires upon his target again. To Toads' knowledge, Curt Connors is still on that plane. By his rash thinking, the madman must shoot down the aircraft to retrieve the mad scientist. The hostile missile streaks. Again, Hugh displays incredible skill. Ingeniously, the pilot calculated when his bogie would fire again. The diving craft avoids a direct hit. The armament blows-off the right wing instead. The concussion even shatters the windows on that side. More air rushes from the cabin, and the passengers might pass-out from oxygen deprivation. However, they have an even more immediate danger about which to worry. Without a wing, the floater begins corkscrewing its screwed crew through the heavens. Even Hugh can no longer control the plane. Scorpion adheres his feet to the floor, one of his powers. Unsecured, Snake Marston ricochets all around the cabin. But, the plastic rogue can kind of take the pell-mell bouncing, one of his abilities. Momentarily, stationary Scorpion targets tumbling Snake. Scorpion's tail smacks Snake like a squash ball. Scorpion smiles. That looked like it hurt. The plane crashes.

The fuselage splits, and Marston goes hurdling through the harsh brush. The floor crumples, and Scorpion goes ass over teakettle over the rough ground. The back section bounces along the earth, and Martha Connors bounces around within. With a jolt, she comes to rest. Miraculously, she is not hurt. The aircraft's front section skips through the dirt leading to stout trees. Thick branches stab through the windshield and shatter things. Eying the wreckage, Martha wonders what has become of Hugh.

Over rough ground, the wary woman wobbles her way through the crash site. She considers her fellow passengers' fates. Alive or not, Scorpion and Snake can go to Hell. But, what has become of valiant Hugh? Martha approaches the deformed cockpit. On the grass, she sees something temporarily shocking. Hugh's scalp and beard appear to lie there, torn from his dome. However, Martha notices a lack of expected blood upon the "macabre" finds. In fact, they appear to be props from a disguise. Stepping barefoot upon splintered wood, Martha Connors gazes into the cockpit and gasps. Hugh's crushed and impaled chest is not in a good way. His bones and innards are mangled for real. With concern, Martha gazes into Hugh's visage. Blood flows from the mouth of a middle-aged, handsome, mustachioed face. Hugh grabs at her blouse bosom.

"I'm Hugh Howards, the aviator," the man croaks. Then, he dies. Mrs. Connors knows world-famous Hugh Howards, the inventor. Holy crap.


	4. Chap 4: I Toadly Get It

**Chapter 4: I Toadly Get It**

Mac Gargan is sore. Well, he is always mad and "sore", as he is right now. But, his perdurable body is actually smarting as it lies in the dirt. Scorpion swears that gravel and crap have somehow penetrated his tough hide. A plane crash is a hell of a thing. With mettle, the superhuman forces himself to his feet. The pain gives him anger and focus.

Immediately, a meerschaum pipe cracks off his head. With ire, Scorpion looks in the direction of the petty attack. Snake Marston threw the projectile as accurately as Daredevil throws his club. The Enforcer smiles, "I found your pipe." Snake is bent toward the ground, and his voice is a loud whisper. The fighter is done.

But, Scorpion is not done with him quite yet. "That smoking implement is a meerschaum pipe, Marston. And, do you know what 'meerschaum' means in German?" Mac quizzes Sylvester.

Snake shakes his head, and his entire body wobbles. No, the semi-conscious goon cannot think of his German right now.

"It means 'sea foam'. I suggest you find some," Scorpion lights a book of matches from his pocket. He tosses the flame upon the dry evergreen needles at Marston's feet. Quietly, Mac thanks Hugh for offering the pipe on the plane, and he thanks prison for offering bored inmates German lessons.

With a scream, Snake Marston goes up in flames and smoke. Spilt fuel ignites beneath him and explodes in a fireball. Like the damned, Snake's ablaze form runs futilely from the inferno, and he darts toward the nearby ocean. Perhaps, he will make it before dying. By cadaverous Hugh, Martha Connors is horrified to hear the hooligan's howls. Her blood chills. Likewise, Scorpion watches fleeing Snake with concern. He should not have done that. Upon returning to New York, he will have to face the fury of the Enforcers. Sometimes, maniac Mac comprehends that he really should curb his homicidal urges.

While Gargan cogitates, another homicidal crazy arrives from above. Flying in, Toad sees Snake afire racing through the brush in agony, but Toad does not stop to help. The peon can just pee on himself if he needs the flames out. Aloft Toad spies Scorpion, still standing after the hard landing. The evil mutant prepares to divebomb his foe and, thereby, to splatter a Scorpion like a pest. Like a raptor, the jetpacked antagonist impacts into Scorpion's chest, nearly cracking ribs. Momentarily, the wind utterly leaves the stalwart villain. Scorpion is stunned in Toad's tight grasp. Rocketing forward, Toad rips Scorpion through the grounding terrain. The wicked skid removes some costume and skin. Gargan grimaces in pain. Jetting straight up, Mortimer Toynbee releases Mac Gargan, who continues forward. A solid boulder brings the hurdling fleshy object to an abrupt halt. Instantly, Toad shoots two hellfires from above. The combined detonation shakes the earth and tosses limp lout into the air. Through the dust, Toad smiles gleefully at his dirty work. Just as Scorpion smiled at suffering Snake, so Toad smirks at smoldering Scorpion.

Then, X-Man Sunfire arrives. Just as Toad ambushed Scorpion, so Sunfire surprises Toad. From nowhere, the X-Man pops-up behind his brother mutant in the sky. Sunfire fires two bolts precisely across the jetpack's harness straps. He does not want Toad's remaining missiles to detonate, so he conscientiously avoids blasting them. The rocket transport goes upward into the blue; Toad plummets like an unwily super genius. Doggedly, Mortimer grabs for tree branches on the descent. Another plasma bolt explodes the weaponized jetpack far above Kodiak Island. From a treetop, Toad leaps high in his bulky jetsuit. He seizes Sunfire and brings him to the soil below.

"What the hell are you doing here?" mugging Mortimer has Shiro Yoshida pinned.

Yoshida-san has abilities beyond his mutant abilities. One such talent is martial arts training. He abruptly bends Toad's wrists painfully back. Then, he monkey-flips the moppet. Shiro's stomping boot pins Toad temporarily. The boot is on the other chest.

"Your foolishness has brought the Pacific Overlords upon you," Sunfire pronounces. With wicked precision, Sunfire incinerates the fireproof flightsuit from Toad's body—without burning the bozo a bit. Terrified, Toad shrieks and squirms in the white-hot heat.

Elsewhere, Snake Marston stares skyward from the salty surf splashing over his semi-skinless form. A Pacific Overlord stands over him too. Irezumi gazes downward upon the poor cooked creature, and he wonders how to help him. The tattooed bruiser knows that he must not simply grab the burn victim in his strong hands. For the moment, Irezumi simply considers, with pity, Snake's loose skin undulating in the surf. The tattooed bruiser could not imagine losing his own skin like that.

"Oh dear God!" Martha Connors cannot easily consider such injury either. Irezumi was so distracted by the sight of macabre Marston that he failed to notice Martha's approach.

Mrs. Connors has brought a first aid kit from the wreck. Despite everything, she could not abandon her kidnapper to die from his burns. She witnessed Scorpion mercilessly light his foe afire. She saw him run away screaming, and the good woman decided to follow. She gathers herself.

"I don't know who you are, Queequeg. But, get him out of the waves and onto land," she tells the strange-looking 6' 7" brute before her.

"I do not know who Queequeg is. I am Irezumi from Japan," the giant wades into the shallows. He grasps Marston. Snake gasps. The honorable thug brings the burn victim to the stony, sandy shore.

"Don't lay him in the dirt. He is likely for an infection already," Martha instructs the dumb yakuza thug. Considerately, Martha has brought a blanket from the plane. And, she places it over the earth presently. Hopefully, it offers some comfort when Irezumi places hyperventilating Marston upon it. The kindhearted assistant prepares gauze, ointment, and painkiller in her latex-gloved hands. Current resources will have to do. She offers the poor man some bottled water. But, he refuses.

Mrs. Connors looks up from her patient. "So, what brings you to Alaska?" she asks the Overlord standing over her. She hopes that he is not yet another threat.

"Dr. Demonicus sent me," replies the henchman.

"Well, that name does not sound too promising," Martha thinks to herself. Perhaps, the dangerous man notices her gulp; perhaps, he does not. From inland, an explosion echoes. Toad has fired stingers upon Scorpion.

Irezumi continues, "The doctor's computer was hacked. He investigated. His brilliant mind discovered the meddler in Anchorage. Apparently, the troublemaker Toad sought information about Dr. Demonicus' past base in the Aleutians. Apparently, Toad intended to raise the Centipor—or some other awesome creation. My master contacted Sunfire, his past associate, and me, his faithful servant. And, an overlord dispatched Japanese agents into the Aleutians once more. Shiro especially—how do you say—got a kick out of that idea. We two have been tracking Toad ever since."

Throughout this conversation, Martha has eyed Irezumi's big chest. To her trepidation, the inked images have shifted around upon it as though animate. From the original art, the chest images are now perfect likenesses of herself and a perfectly intact Snake Marston. Martha is freaked-out, and she prays that Irezumi (Japanese for "tattoo") cannot project images like a Dr. Spectrum nemesis or something. Martha desperately wonders. Where the hell is Curtis when you need him? S**t, where the hell is the Lizard? She doubts that Curt "the Lizard" Connors died from a hundred-foot fall into frigid sea. So, where is he? Irezumi stands over her and considers her. Then, he strolls toward the saltwater to wash away burn victim goo.

At the water's edge, the big man stoops to dip his hands. All of a sudden, the Lizard bursts from the brine like some kind of sub-artic crocodile. His claws clamp over Irezumi's throat. His jaws latch into the Overlord's scalp. Irezumi has no chance to defend himself. The thug has no chance to even scream before Lizard yanks him into the frigid seafoam. A fathom down, Lizard releases his claws and jaws. A terrible tail cracks dazed Irezumi along the hemorrhaging head and drops him unconscious beneath the water. The creature trudges toward shore. The Lizard's cold eyes behold Martha upon the rocky beach. She is unsure if she is glad to see her husband alive. Lizard moves toward her. From the woods behind her, another predator—ursine—moves toward Martha and cooked Marston too. Perhaps, the bear smells cooked Marston.

Elsewhere, Scorpion molts from his suit. His supersuit is severely damaged. Mac rips it from his body temperamentally as he stomps through the forest retracing his path back to the plane crash site, where Toad might be. Toad. Scorpion really wants to kill Toad. And, Scorpion assures himself that he does not need his f**king suit to do it. His enhanced physique and psychotic mind are his best weapons. Free of his costume, Mac Gargan sprints toward his target.

Toad lies cowering upon the ground. "I would appreciate your immediate surrender," Sunfire stands a short distance from Mortimer and raises glowing hands crackling with plasma.

"I'm helpless without my suit's weapons," Toynbee croaks. Actually, Toad knows that his mutant body and his nefarious mind are his best weapons.

"You are as pathetic as fellow mutants say," Sunfire slights, "Walk toward the wrecked plane. We shall find something inside to restrain you."

"Please don't hurt me," Toad whimpers woebegone wobbling toward the wreckage, "I am harmless."

"Dr. Demonicus, head of the Pacific Overlords, thinks otherwise," the warrior answers, "He says that you pose a significant threat."

"Ooooh, there is nothing significant about me," the hunched-over hump approaches the broken fuselage.

"Stop where you are," Sunfire commands. He was not born yesterday. Toad could fetch a weapon from the plane. The X-Man and Evil Mutant should search the plane together.

Toad's evil eyes twinkle in the continuing fuelfire. He simpers, "Oh, I do not see anything propitious to ambush in the crashed craft. But, I do see something useful to me outside of it."

"What do you mean?" Shiro is puzzled.

"A sucker," Toad retorts gleefully. A prehensible, super-adhesive tongue shoots a full four yards to Sunfire's boots. It captures them firmly. Instantly, the appendage slings Shiro into the steel side of the plane. Toad releases his tongue tether. Stunned, Sunfire attempts standing. Toad does a handstand and kicks his powerful legs into the X-Man. The rival ricochets harshly off of an evergreen bough twenty feet above. But, amazingly, the warrior recovers with great resilience. In mid-air, he re-ignites with an awesome, angry glow. Hovering above, the burning battler glares down upon Toad. For a moment, Toad considers leaping to Sunfire and taking the fight to him. However, Toad was not born yesterday. He knows that a plasma aura is a very, very hot aegis.

Fortunately, for Morty, deus ex machina occurs. Someone lobs a boulder from the brush. Sunfire does not even spot it until it is atop him. Then, it drops him into the ground and embeds itself into the earth. Possibly, the big stone kills Sunfire. Toad can hope.

"You're a dead man, Toad!" Mac stomps from the wilderness. The geek gasps.

Fortunately, for Toad, Sunfire then saves him. A plasma bolt shatters the basalt slab like lightning. Chunks blast in all directions. Mac and Mortimer hit the deck. Shiro crawls from the crater. He is discombobulated, and the two predators see such.

"You're a dead man—in a minute—Toad," Gargan corrects himself, "Let's just take this mutie out."

"I'm a mutie," Toad mumbles. But, the slimeball gets it. The two criminals can beat-down the one hero from Big Hero 6; then, they can kill each other. Toad hops to the task at hand.

Toad lands by Sunfire and gets his attention. Punch-drunk Sunfire fires upon Toad pell-mell, and the decoy easily dodges. Then, Scorpion sucker-punches Sunfire a distance. Like two hounds, Scorpion and Toad bound after their mutual prey. Both curs excitedly smile bared teeth. The Master of Evil really does like hurting people. And, the Evil Mutant really does hate all Uncanny X-Men. Unsteady, Sunfire crawls about in tall grass. Mac fetches him, and stands him up.

"Up," Scorpion backhands poor Shiro off his feet, "Down."

"Up," Toad leaps into the air before butt bombing Shiro, "Down." Sunfire exhales harshly. Toad shoots his repugnant tongue into Sunfire's open mouth and hauls the hero from the ground.

"Up," Scorpion points to kneeling Sunfire. The sadistic pugilist smashes a fist into Yoshida's mug.

Toad retracts his tongue into his own mouth, "Down." Mortimer giggles. Mac guffaws. Shiro bleeds his blood upon the dirt and spits the mutant mucus from his mouth.

"Up," Scorpion backpeddles while pointing to the darkening sky. Brutally, he punts the Overlord like a football through busting treebranches. Giggling, Toad leaps after the "ball"—which he intends to "down" into the turf. Toad tackles Sunfire from mid-air, and he wraps his arms around him. However, Sunfire hugs his foe back, to Toad's surprise. Then, the fiery mutant ignites marvelously—to Toad's shock. Second-degree burns can be shockingly painful. Toad lets go completely. Sunfire lets mostly go too, but he keeps one enemy hand in his own. Like a pissed-off Peter Pan, Sunfire takes the English boy high into the evening. Like a furious fairy, Sunfire then spins round in a dazzling display that leaves poor Mortimer dizzy and dumbfounded. Shiro cracks the whip and releases Toad across the sky. The tossed Toad might reach the Shelikof Strait. Toads like water, right?

"Up; down," Sunfire jokes to himself. The battered combatant gathers his faculties. Presently, his energies burn bright in the black sky, but he feels dark unconsciousness quickly approaching. The warrior readies himself for a final assault. Rapid-fire bolts sever tree trunks, and timber falls around Scorpion. The big hero ascends up and comes down like a meteorite. Momentarily, Gargan lies imprinted into the earth. Astonishingly, the terrible tough is still conscious. He groans in pain.

Spitting blood upon Scorpion, Sunfire addresses him, "Mr. Gargan, do you remember Dr. Demonicus from Hood's army? You both were members."

Gritted teeth reply, "Yeah, he was the idiot who looked like a devil with horns on his head."

Sunfire pronounces, "Well, Demonicus-san says see you in Hell."

Occasionally, Sunfire can send an unholy plasma blast throughout an entire area. Others have compared this superheated emanation to the Human Torch's nova burst. Shiro Yoshida so detonates now. The explosion disintegrates surrounding foliage. It melts the plane wreckage. It turns the ground to glass. It can be seen from the beach by Martha and Lizard. It can be seen from the air by an arriving U.S. military helicopter. It might even turn Scorpion into a wizened shell.

Sunfire stands unharmed within his furious firestorm. He stands a moment and tries catching his breath and bearings. Toad is still out there. And, the menace should be either captured or killed. The pest caused all of this trouble in the first place. Then, in an instant, the warrior passes out. He hits the ground and does not move. Around the area, other events _do_ keep moving.


	5. Chap 5: Leapin' Lizard

**Chapter 5: Leapin' Lizard**

The Lizard's cold eyes behold Martha Connors upon the rocky beach. She is unsure if she is glad to see her husband alive or not. From the surf, Lizard trudges toward her. He flicks his thin, elongated tongue between his sharp teeth. He hisses hostilely as he moves toward her half-petrified with fear, half-paralyzed with exhaustion. Rough hands seize her shoulders. He is in her face considering her with bestial eyes.

"Martha Connorsss, my sssweet ssspouse," Lizard speaks. Lizard lifts her easily from the ground and looks her over. He even sniffs her. Inconsiderately, the reptile holds her suspended from the soil. Rudely, he sniffs her throat and breast, his snout pressing.

"C-c-curtis," the woman can hardly speak, "A-a-are you here to protect me."

"Yess, of courssse, I will protect you," the creature breaks his silence, "I protected you from him. Didn't I?"

Lizard means Irezumi who has miraculously washed ashore instead of drowning where Lizard left him in the water. Martha is glad to hear Lizard communicate in clear, semi-complex sentences. Perhaps, dear Curtis is in there somewhere. Perhaps, he is not. Like an animal, Lizard licks and sniffs the chilling breeze wafting along the shore. His nostrils flare, and his head turns. Snake Marston smells like burnt bacon and burn ointment on the ground. But, the man-beast is not smelling those odors.

Then. "Oh sss**t!" he pronounces.

Like a toy, Lizard lobs Martha toward the water. She plunges into beach muck beside unconscious, mutilated Irezumi. Spitting out sediment and seawater, Mrs. Connors wonders what spooked Lizard. Forthwith, she hears a deep growl and galloping footfalls. A huge beast approaches. Perhaps, it was attracted by her fearful sweat. Perhaps, it was attracted by the smell of roasted Snake. Either way, Kodiak Island's most-famous resident has arrived for a meal. And, only the bellicose Lizard stands between the giant grizzly and Martha.

Of course, Lizard has occasionally kicked Spider-Man's ass. So, an everyday chimera does not especially frighten him. And, the bear will likely spare him the dreadful wisecracks. The quarter-ton scaly brute charges the half-ton hirsute beast. And, it charges him. They meet, and they clash tooth to tooth and claw to claw. The Kodiak pins Lizard until Lizard flips it over on its back and pins it in turn—until the behemoth bear pins the man-sized reptile again. Lizard displays his teeth and snarls. The bear actually uses his weapons and snaps huge jaws over Lizard's entire head. The grizzly shakes viciously and vigorously the two-meter creature beneath it. On-looking Martha wonders with horror whether she is about to witness a beheading. Then, the ursine attacker actually screams in pain and backtracks violently. Blood on his lips, Lizard holds the bear's severed tongue in his own mouth. He swallows it in one gulp. Martha gags a bit. Lizard used his jaws after all. The Kodiak stands on its backlegs and shows the tooth and claw that it still has. Like a bestial boxer, Lizard boldly and wisely goes to his taller opponent's ribs. His balled fists break them with each punch. The mutated doctor does not wait on internal hemorrhaging though. Rather, he steps back and throws his killing blow. The Lizard's terrible tail breaks the animal's upraised arm and stout neck in one fell swoop. Five-hundred pounds of flesh falls flat.

Martha Connors looks upon the scene with fear and admiration. Then, she simply looks on with fear. She screams. You see, bears often hunt and gather in groups called sloths. And, there is an entire sloth emerging from the woods after their lead boar's death. Papa Bear might be dead. But, Mama Bear and her spring babies are still around and hungry. And, they see food on the beach. Vulnerable Martha, Snake, and Irezumi all look really appetizing. All the ravenous bears need do is eliminate the belligerent beast before them. Lizard squares-up for another bloody battle. Martha fingers the handgun in her pocket. Mrs. Connors isn't stupid. She took Hugh's sidearm before wandering into the woods.

However, as Lizard stares down the grizzlies and they stare down him and Martha looks on, a brilliant flash blinds every creature present. In-land, Sunfire finishes his fight with Scorpion. The startled sloth scatters. The Lizard disappears into the effulgence. And, Martha shrieks as she futilely covers her eyes. After dropping her hands, she can barely see anything around her. She calls to Curtis. But, the crazed Lizard has scampered toward the great light. The worried woman can hear Marston's quiet moans. Behind sore eyes, she remembers Irezumi in the shallows, and she attempts moving toward him through a view full of blotchy purple. Her hands feel into the open space before her, and her feet try to find a safe path to the distressed bad guy. Then, a helicopter knocks her progress and body back. The whirlybird arrives abruptly with its winds. And, its winds blast sand into Martha's hurting eyes and through her harried hair. She would scream if she would not swallow so much dirt.

The helicopter retreats a bit, and a strange man strides toward Martha. Blinded Mrs. Connors gets her chance to scream, and her flailing hands find the stranger's chest. His hard, wide body armor is a surprise.

His voice in her ear startles her, "Hello. I am Maj. Ross Jonas of the U.S. air force. Could you please tell me, ma'am, what in the hell is going on here?"

Martha Connors did not expect a good guy, for she has had such a stressful day already. Through her watering eyes, Martha discerns more airmen rappelling from their transport. They are good to see. They carry kits with large red crosses upon them. Well good, three people could use some medical treatment.

Elsewhere, Lizard examines unconscious Sunfire lying face-down on the forest floor. Within Lizard's head, Dr. Curt Connors knows that he should aid the fallen hero, but Lizard is considering consuming the helpless mutant instead. Perhaps, the mutate would get radiation poisoning; perhaps, he would not. Oddly, Lizard feels enervated already. Perhaps, he should have filled-up on bear meat. Then, the thought occurs to the saurian brute. The metamorphosis is fading. Soon, he will be just a soft, vulnerable, one-armed man in the Alaskan wilderness. Within minutes, nearly-naked Dr. Connors stands shivering in the cold wind. He shuffles toward fallen Shiro.

Upon the cold wind, a chilling rain arrives, and the drops revive Yoshida-san slightly. Over him, Dr. Connors explains that he wishes to aid if Sunfire is not yet another villain with Toad. The X-Man assures that he is not with Toad. In fact, the hero removes his jacket and offers it to his half-naked Samaritan. The two begin to trust each other. The two hear a helicopter operating nearby, and they stroll cautiously east toward it. Fatigued Sunfire cannot fly them right now.

Curt scans the woods, "Have you seen Snake Marston or Scorpion? Each was on the plane that crashed. I was half-expecting for Lizard to cross tails with Scorpion."

"Scorpion is probably a desiccated shell right now," Sunfire elucidates a pest's possible fate, "I have not seen a Snake Marston."

A cold wind brings a chilling rain upon the beach. Drops patter Snake Marston's exposed face and seared body. "Well, it takes a licking and keeps on ticking," a special forces medic raises a Snake's wrist jokingly. There is no watch on the wrist.

A medical crew brings Snake Marston aboard the chinook. They have been generous with the pain killer for the vicious man viciously assaulted. Martha Connors watches her recent assailant enter the helicopter. She feels finally safe now that the Enforcer is zonked and laid-out. Maj. Jonas offers Martha a warm jacket. The mantle even seems to heat gently in his hands.

"Thank you. This is the second time that a rescuer has warmed me with a covering today," Connors acknowledges the kindness, "Hugh Howards' gave husband Curtis and I blankets on his plane."

The officer helps the lady into the rescue vehicle. He sits beside her in the chinook, "Hugh Howards was a good man. Am I correct that he died in today's plane crash?"

"He did. I witnessed his final moment," Martha shivers within the warm jacket.

Jonas frowns, "Well, he was a good man. He helped SHIELD back in the day, and he was working with us now. For example, he reported Toad's activities back to the U.S. military in Anchorage. Howards keeps—kept—an eye on Dr. Demonicus' old haunts"

"I suppose that you responded to the crash so quickly because you were tracking Hugh's flights," Martha supposes.

"Yes, my superior Col. Harris was already communicating with Howards. Therefore, my team arrived here even before the military stationed in Kodiak town. Our people were already on the mission," the major explains.

Suddenly, one of Jonas' people yells out. Maj. Jonas and Martha look. They see a medic and an alert Irezumi arguing near the water's edge. The rescuer generously pulled the tattooed thug from the sea before an orca could eat him or some other mishap could occur. But, the Overlord is not in a gracious mood with his helper. Through a torn flopping cheek, he argues that he does not want help. Unwisely, he pushes the PJ away several times.

"I might have to go get him," Maj. Jonas comments about Irezumi.

"With your command presence?" Mrs. Connors wonders.

"No, with my superpowers," the flat-top explains, "I gained flame powers a while back by accident. The incident made me lose a plum position in sunny Ohio, but it made me a big gun up here in Alaska. I even met a Col. Joe Harris who had been transferred after metahumans messed-up his life too [see _X-Men_ #94]."

From a distance, Irezumi begins staring down Jonas. Perhaps, the supervillain spots the body armor that the serviceman wears. It looks like a supersuit. His chest ink shifts slightly.

"Which team affected you?" Martha inquires.

"Blackwulf and his merry men," Jonas answers (see _Blackwulf_ #2).

"Never heard of them," Martha admits.

"No one has," Ross admits as well.

Irezumi punches the assisting medic. Surrounding personnel prepare to shoot. The CO hops from the helicopter and dons an ovoid hard helmet that half-covers his face. Jonas turns to Mrs. Connors. He winks through an eyeslit, "This looks like a job for Scorch. They call me Scorch."

Marston and Martha moan as though the name burns them. Like a knight, Scorch approaches the bugaboo. Like a dragon, Irezumi summons his own fires into his chest, and Sir Scorch is amazed to see an image of himself upon that chest. The paladin feels uneasy. Intrepidly, he fires flames upon the dragon. Those flames come back at him twofold, and the blast of heated air knocks him far aback. That is how the demon named Dr. Demonicus designed this creature's powers. Irezumi copies a foe's image into his tattoos; then, he can send an opponent's attacks back upon him twofold or even threefold. Fortunately, Scorch is flameproof.

Coming to Scorch's aide, the major's men discharge their firearms. However, their score no visible hits through a wall of white-hot flame. The wall abates. Then, the PJs see their target escaping through the underbrush a furlong away hurriedly. Irezumi heads northwest into the inhospitable Alaskan night. The goon _is_ shirtless. Perhaps, he will freeze to death. They can hope. Or, they would prefer to pursue and terminate him. Maj. Jonas calls them off.

Scorch sits embarrassed on the ground. His helmet comes off. Scowling, he throws it to the side. His hand waves the elite medics toward the copter. They might as well leave with their patients. One subordinate points toward the forest past Maj. Jonas' shoulder. The irritated officer looks. To his surprise, he sees Dr. Curt Connors approaching with another man. They lean upon each other. Martha Connors is happy to see her Curtis, and she runs to him as fast as her exhausted body can convey her. To his surprise, pouting Jonas smiles at the scene of the reunited couple. He suppresses his smile before turning toward the red-garbed fellow accompanying the lost professor.

The red-garbed fellow bows slightly, "Hello, they call me Sunfire."

The American extends a hand, "Hi, they call me Scorch. I have heard of you, Sunfire. I have pyrogenic powers similar to yours."

"That's nice. I have never heard of you," the stranger surprises Scorch.

Aloof Sunfire produces a conflagration surpassing Jonas' own before casually skyrocketing into the clouds far above. Beneath him, Scorch stands in the cold rain become stinging steam and stifling vapor. Indeed, the Japanese wonder has flame powers surpassing the American's. A special forces comrade assures his commander that the unit can capture Irezumi and Sunfire at a later time. The air force need only a plan—and perhaps some Sentinels—to do it.

"Yeah, okay, let's go," irked Scorch stomps toward the chinook. This setback really burns his ass. And, so it is that the Connors are finally rescued.

At night, Irezumi arrives at Kodiak Island's mountainous interior. Terror Lake Dam is the two Overlords' rendezvous point. There, a well-engineered VTOL vehicle awaits to silently take the Overlords away after their mission. Sunfire is nowhere around, and Irezumi wonders where the hell the mutie might be. Of course, Sunfire could have died fighting Toad. That would explain his not being here. But, that event is highly unlikely. Irezumi doubts that Toad poses much of a threat to Sunfire. Of course also, Sunfire was not high on this mission in the first place. Hero Sunfire did not want to work for villain Demonicus. He just wanted to make sure that no one raised the Centipor!

Irezumi enters the craft. He hopes to find food inside to consume after his hike if his excruciating cheek wound will allow it. The only thing that he gets to consume is Toad's unexpected foot. Toad kicks Irezumi hard in the teeth the moment that the craft's hatch opens. The wily retrobate is here. He snuck onto the escape vehicle.

Knocked-back, mighty Irezumi tries shaking the birdies from his head. But, Toad is upon him before Dr. Demonicus' henchman can react. Toad dances on his victim's head. Soon, the evil mutant drags the incapacitated gangster's painted skin over the sharp, scraping stone all around them. The landscape is bleak, and so are Irezumi's prospects. Mad Toad is going to make Demonicus' man talk. Even if he must kick in his chest, even if he must skin him alive, even if the mutant must shoot his monstrous tongue down Irezumi's gullet and rip forth his organs through the mutate's mouth, even if it's the last thing he does, Toad is going to raise . . . . ! Well, you know.


	6. Chap 6: Put a Foot Down!

**Chapter 6: Put a Foot Down!**

"What a lovely redhead," coos Dr. Demonicus looking down upon her.

Beside him, Mr. Crook agrees, "She is a healthy girl. She must be a full ten inches. You rarely see a giant centipede so big."

"Well, she is about to become even grander," Demonicus nearly pets the arthropod before him, "She is the next sensational Centipor!"

"That terrific transformation is apt for this animal," Mr. Crook agrees, "Throughout East Asia, the red-headed centipede is esteemed for its magical properties."

"Well, we shall use science to raise this scolopendra subspinipes from jungle pest to giant monster," the mad scientist notes, "However, I am glad that Hong Kongese people raise these little beasts. I needed only to send you to a dealer to acquire one."

"Oh, it was my pleasure," Mr. Crook chortles. He seems to be laughing at some inside joke.

Unbeknown to Demonicus, Mr. Crook is Toad in disguise, so he wants to see the Centipor project completed, of course. From torturing Irezumi, Toad learned that the henchman's boss was in Hong Kong. Hong Kong provided Dr. Demonicus a suitable centipede specimen and the advanced technology to metamorphosize the thing into a mammoth monstrosity. There was even a volcanic island lair situated to the south of the territory, and everyone knows that Dr. Demonicus loves volcanic island lairs. He fought Godzilla and SHIELD from one in Alaska. He pestered the West Coast Avengers from one in Oceania.

Seemingly reading Crook's thoughts, Dr. Demonicus chats him up, "Beside the bug marketplace, I'll tell you what else was serendipitous. Finding this island just south of Hong Kong. It is even pre-configured for illicit activities. Originally, Emil Vachon the crimelord ruled it [see _Deadly Hands of Kung Fu_ #32-33]; then, Colleen Wing killed him. After that, Matsu'o Tsurayaba of the Hand took over [see _Uncanny X-Men_ #255]; then, Psylocke killed him somewhat recently [see _Psylocke_ #4]. The Hand were willing to sell. Ninja organizations need money too like the rest of us. I was willing to own. The island base was even a volcanic lair complete with 'mad scientist' lab housed in a stony rook."

Toad giggles shrilly, "That's crazy. The previous owners sure sound like they had no luck."

"No, they sure didn't," Demonicus chuckles from his devil mask. Demonicus turns on a powerful light over the vulnerable bug. It writhes and squirms in discomfort.

"But, I would not worry, mate," Crook puts a hand upon his mate's shoulder, "Psylocke is not likely the person who kills you after you re-create the Centipor. I am from England, and I know the X-Men."

Dr. Demonicus pats his buddy on the back, "I suppose that an Englishman might know Betsy Braddock from the UK. And, he might know the X-Men too. They constantly visit my fellow brilliant geneticist Moira MacTaggert on Muir Island."

"That is one place from which I know them," Crook acknowledges.

"Well, God bless the British. I am so fortunate to have found an English-speaking assistant with whom to conduct this experiment," American Douglas Birely is pleased.

"Perhaps, everything was meant to be," Toad knows that he planned this meeting of the minds. The assistant titters to himself. Demonicus intends to complete the project to show-up Toad, yet Toad might yet own Demonicus.

"Perhaps, everything _was_ meant to be," Demonicus agrees with Crook's last statement, "My megalomaniacal side certainly always thinks that my plans are destiny. Hell, I even acquired another Lifestone after losing the last one to a demon named Raksasa [see _Avengers West Coast_ #95]. A Mr. Beliar contacted me from nowhere, and he had one [see future fanfic The Death of Iron Fist II]."

Crook snickers, "You know, Demonicus, the name 'Beliar' is a form of 'Belial', the devil. You might want to be careful. You could have another sneaky demon on your hands." Toad touches his target's hand.

"Hey now!" Demonicus exclaims, "I am not ruled only by my humors. Reason also guides any mad scientist into making his own luck."

"Although, you have not had complete luck in this endeavor, have you?" Toad squelches a smile, "For example, your two Overlord agents Sunfire and Irezumi are still missing when they should be here." Toad knows damn well what happened to Irezumi.

"I am unsure that Sunfire would be here," the doctor answers, "He has never been high on my cause. Perhaps, Charles Xavier has corrupted his mind too often."

"The X-Men suck," Toad affirms.

"Irezumi should be here, though," the leader continues, "He has been a devoted servant."

"You can never rely on the . . .," Mr. Crook uses an epithet for the Japanese.

The American is taken aback, "You needn't talk so. You're not very nice."

"Who is going to be offended? The Demon-Soldiers?" asks Mr. Crook.

The Demon-Soldiers are armed, costumed goons that Dr. Demonicus keeps around him. A few stand guard about the lab chamber while their boss works. A Pacific Overlord should be the aspiring conqueror's bodyguard presently, but the non-enhanced gangsters will have to do in their purple fatigues matching the villain's own purple and blue costume. Beyond the lab, other Demon-Soldiers patrol the compound. Two Pacific Overlords lead them.

Overlord Cybertooth patrols the complex's perimeter. Technically, he should be bodyguarding Dr. Demonicus right now, but Irezumi never returned to the island. Thus, Cybertooth is outside canvassing the island's east end as Irezumi would have done. Cybertooth's serrated steel jaws flap into a headset.

"So, does anyone see anyone threatening our employer's pet pest?" the Overlord asks into the apparatus.

The headset earpieces crackle, "Hell no, no one is scrambling to save that centipede. No one would invade this island during the afternoon. It's daylight out." The Demon-Soldier speaks plainly. There are two Demon-Soldiers accompanying Cybertooth on his patrol. The three have spread-out a bit, and they communicate by radio.

"Just stay alert, and look for enemies of Demonicus," Jawbreaker breaks in, "Soon, our master unleashes the beast, and the Centipor stomps Hong Kong!" Demonicus' most stalwart is elsewhere on the island.

The plain-spoken soldier is not impressed, "Jaws, we grunts should hang on our Jawbreaker's every word."

"You watch your tongue," Jawbreaker threatens, "Otherwise, I'll rip it from your jaws!"

"And, do not call me 'Jaws'. I have never even seen Moonraker," Cybertooth adds.

Cybertooth approaches a steep hill overlooking the South China Sea. Through his sunglasses, he looks over the sea sparkling beautifully in the sun, and he removes his shades to take in the glory. He beholds the azure waves and sniffs the salty air. Yen Hsieh's eyes follow the surf to where it crashes into shore thirty-feet below. His gaze wanders up the hill. The slope is likewise beautiful with its greenery and rocky earth.

Then, Cybertooth spots a man lying low in the shrubs nearby. Shang-Chi looks back, and the Master of Kung Fu can tell that he has been noticed. In an instant, the righteous raider springs from the gravel like a cobra. The Taiwanese cyborg cannot even react before the Chinese champion is upon him. A chop fractures Cybertooth's headset and disconnects communications. Automatically, Cybertooth snaps at Shang-Chi. The Overlord's steel jaws could slice an arm off. But, Shang-Chi's legs dance him aside. Stupidly, Cybertooth takes a swing at the martial artist. The Master of Kung Fu simply throws his lunging foe down the hill. The rocks and wood batter the Overlord until he tumbles into his beloved South China Sea.

"Hold it!" a Demon-Soldier has arrived. He stands three yards away. His rifle is raised at the ready upon his shoulder. Shang-Chi will not be springing upon him.

"I do not usually kill people," Shang-Chi states, "However, I shall use this if necessary" With a sleight of hand, a long dagger appears instantaneously.

"Fool, you have literally brought a knife to a gunfight," the Demon-Soldier scoffs, "Now, be a good boy, and surrender. I have already radioed comrades-in-arms. You are captured."

Without a word, without warning, Shang-Chi throws the knife end-over-end with impeccable precision. The hilt hits the blackguard precisely in the temple and knocks him out. Shang-Chi remarks, "I told you that I do not usually kill people but that I would use the dagger if needed."

The victor gets little time with his laurels. Hostile hot lead interrupts him. From a great distance, a goon gunman sprays automatic weaponfire very inaccurately. The plain-speaker fires-off insults too that do not reach Shang-Chi. However, the sloppy assailant is sure to become more accurate as he advances. The wily warrior hits the dirt and considers counter attacks.

Suddenly, a fiery bolt from the blue obliterates the soldier, and only smoldering shins in boots are left standing. Looking up from the ground, Shang-Chi sees the smoking legs some distance from him. Did the Demon-Soldier just spontaneously combust? How bizarre.

Flying past, Sunfire is content to let the Chinese handle the heroics on Dr. Demonicus' island. Tokyo's son does not need to interfere with Beijing's boys. Perhaps, they need not even know that he assists them in bringing Demonicus down. Let the Chinese government and heroes have the glory.

One Chinese government super-agent approaches the island presently. Beneath the undulating sea, Collective Man breaststrokes with the endurance of five men. For a half-mile, he has held his breath and propelled his body beneath the brackish, blurry, blue brine. His adversaries will be surprised. Collective Man smiles as he swims.

However, Jawbreaker smiles to his gums too. Upon a boatdock, the Tao cyborg stands ready for the Chinese champion. As mentioned, a Demon-Soldier radioed warning. With a bionic eye, the Tao cyborg espies Collective Man approaching underwater. He stands confidently akimbo in his silvery armor, shimmering beneath the sub-tropic sun. The Overlord tells his four accompanying Demon-Soldiers to hold back, for the Overlord will easily dispatch of the arriving interloper. The grunts await in the cave behind the dock. Their rifles are at the ready, though. Collective Man will not get past Jawbreaker on the dock, surely. But, the mercenaries cannot allow an invader into the cave that leads to the elevator that leads to the laboratory in which their employer does his important works. Defeat foils future professional plans.

To Jawbreaker's surprise, Collective Man foils his initial defense plan. At the dock, the gate-crasher submerges instead of surfaces. He moves beneath the dock instead of onto it. For two seconds, Jawbreaker wonders and looks downward. Then, with the strength of five men, Collective Man crashes upward through the wood, taking Jawbreaker by surprise. Jawbreaker's jaw drops, but he recovers quickly. He seizes the attacker's wrists, taking him by surprise.

The metal man jerks the metahuman to him, "You shouldn't mess with me, small fry. I have smacked around Wonder Man."

Collective Man knees Jawbreaker's steel abdomen, but he does so with only the force of five men. The strike does nothing. The ruffian bodyslams the raider upon the wood. Collective Man exhales and grimaces.

"Is that all ya got?" Jawbreaker inquires. The Overlord moves to put his foot down through Collective Man's chest.

"No, a myriad man has many tricks. And, we shall use them now," the hero retorts. At once, Collective Man grows four times his usual height. The giant snatches Jawbreaker into a huge hand. Now, Collective Man holds the cyborg before him. Four Demon-Soldiers open fire, but their bullets bounce off flesh as durable as twenty human hides.

The brobdingnagian being considers the "little" person in his grip, "Do you know my colleague Scientific Beast of the People's Defense Force?"

The galvanized goon replies, "No. But, Scientific Beast sounds like a smart guy with a dumb name." Jawbreaker prepares to break Collective Man's grip.

Collective Man replies back, "Well, he is the brains of the team. For example, he researched you before dispatching me to the Hand's old island. And, he predicted that I could not easily overpower you even with my vast strength."

"Damn right," Jawbreaker frees himself somewhat easily from the behemoth's fist. His boots drop to the dock.

Collective Man shrinks to his normal 6'2" and looks Jawbreaker in the eye, "Yes, damn right. In a fight, I might not outmuscle you. So, Scientific Beast and I outthought you instead. You see, American Iron Man is Scientific Beast's mentor, and the Golden Avenger enlightened the People's Defense Force about your armor. We love cooperation. I certainly thrive on it."

With that, the Chinese defender tosses a magnetic bauble upon the Tao thug's chestplate. A powerful magnetic pulse activates. It blows the rivets from Jawbreaker's armor. Nuts and bolts go flying, and the main plates drop off. Wires dangle, and fluids leak. Jawbreaker screams in pain as his grotesque naked body staggers and wobbles toward Collective Man. The Overlord falls on his face at the champion's feet.

"That exoskeleton holds your overly muscled body erect," Collective Man states what Jawbreaker already knows too well, "Without it, you are so much supercilious flesh trying to cope on a normal skeletal frame." The Tao-Yu brothers are proud to have made relatively quick work of Jawbreaker.

Collective Man next makes quick work of the Demon-Soldiers standing in the cave. As promised, Collective Man continues showing-off his variety of powers. The composite person quadrisects quickly to the four mercenaries' separate locations, and his eight fists frenetically foul-up fazed foes. Flunkies fall. A bold Marvel advances toward the rook in which there lies militiamen, a monster, a mutant, and a mad scientist.


	7. Chap 7: The Master Plan

**Chapter 7: The Master Plan**

Normally, Collective Man would dramatically siege Dr. Demonicus' inner sanctum. The superhero would come crashing through a stone wall or would rip the roof from the rook. He would announce himself. However, this superhero need not do so. You see, Collective Man is a compilation of identical quintuplets, five brothers. Brother Han solo has already infiltrated Dr. Demonicus' lab in the name of the Chinese Republic. He simply absorbs his siblings into himself, and the superhero is in Demonicus' very midst disguised as a technician. Intently, China's champ stares down foe Demonicus on the dais above him. The doctor does not seem to have revived the storied Centipor quite yet. So, the "technician" fiddles with a computer momentarily. Outside doors unlock, and his partner Shang-Chi enters the stronghold.

Through a camera feed, Collective Man sees the Master of Kung Fu run toward the salon above the laboratory. Shang-Chi lopes into a luxurious living room with fine furnishings such as contemporary couches, Kurdish carpets, cathedral windows, a freestanding fireplace, and an in-laid Jacuzzi. Of course, Matsu'o Tsurayaba had a Japanese furo installed in his living room. Simultaneously, Collective Man and Shang-Chi notice the beautiful woman bathing in the hot tub. Kuroko is a Pacific Overlord from Nagasaki.

Usually, Kuroko is a shadow warrior. She turns invisible. Then, she ambushes people. However, today, the typical situation is reversed. Shang-Chi silently slinks forward, and he knocks her out with a chop. Like a gentleman, Shang-Chi keeps the unconscious foe from drowning, and he places her aside—restrained—for safekeeping. She should remain out while the people's fighters go after Dr. Demonicus and his helpers. At his lab computer, Collective Man happily considers how much the Chinese rock.

In the lab, Dr. Demonicus' helper speaks. Mr. Crook says, "You know, the guards have alerted us that we have a commando and a metahuman invading the base at this key hour. Apparently, they are hellacious fighters capable of taking down capable of taking down Overlords and Demon-Soldiers. However, I am not worried." Toad is unworried.

"You are not worried? You should be," Dr. Demonicus is surprised, "Kuroko is our only other defense against the invaders, and she is relaxing in a bath. I was looking at her on a monitor but thirty seconds ago. In the tub, she did not have her communicator on her."

Crook is cool and collected, "I have handled super suckers often before. For example, I gutted and filleted of your big fish Irezumi."

Dr. Demonicus is further surprised. He knows that Mr. Crook appeared only recently on the island with his perfect credentials. AIM vouched for this man. Or, AIM apparently did. Dr. Demonicus knows that Irezumi has been missing the entire time that Crook has been here.

"Who are you? When did you ever meet Irezumi?" Dr. Demonicus probes. He does not need his important work interrupted at this time.

The giant centipede's flesh pulsates unnaturally, and its transformation begins in earnest. Toad answers, "I met Irezumi when I tortured your henchman for your location. Then, I killed him."

The mad genius deduces. "Mr. Toynbee, I presume," Dr. Demonicus reaches for a secret weapon stashed at the lab station. It ought to take Toad out totally.

However, someone kihaps loudly before Demonicus can discharge the gun in his hand. The stentorian shout is the echoing roar of a mighty warrior. Supervillains, collected cronies, and a Collective Man all startle. The Master of Kung Fu stands—fists clenched—staring from the top of the long stone staircase leading to the lab's depths. Shang-Chi gets Toad's full attention. Mr. Crook leaps the thirty-feet to the martial artist. Toad lands perfectly upon the uneven surface beneath Shang-Chi. He even sheds his Crook disguise in mid-air. Toad squats upon the stairs and stares back at Shang-Chi. He stands in the hero's way. This man will not muck-up this mutant's militant machinations.

Demonicus considers the two combatants briefly. Then, Dr. Demonicus returns to his wicked deeds. The madman will not let monkeys' wrenches mess his machinations to mutate and monster-make. Before his excited eyes, the giant centipede beautifully burgeons into something even greater. The expanding animal thrashes in agony. Its arching, ugly back is the Centipor rising! Dr. Demonicus is so close!

Ten yards away, the Master looks down steep stone steps upon glowering Toad. "I have read of you, Mortimer," Shang-Chi states, "MI-6 keeps tabs on all of Britain's terrorists, especially Magneto's men."

"And, the Brotherhood keeps tabs on all of our enemies," Toad returns, "But, unfortunately, you must not be much of one. I don't know you."

"I am Shang-Chi, to some the Master of Kung Fu," the fighter replies. He takes a fighting stance.

"You look more like a ma*******r to me. Let's fight, champ," the Toad King springs toward the challenger.

Toad tackles Shang-Chi with unanticipated force and knocks him from his stance. The super-agent slams into the brick wall behind him. Stunned, Shang-Chi struggles to stand. The tenacious English pugilist pummels the reeling Chinese pug with furious fists. "Instinctively", the dogged martial artist lashes back. His ingrained training kicks-in, and he begins automatically armblocking punches. Annoyed, Toad takes one step back. He will kick his foot right through Shang-Chi's f'n chest. The kick flies. Focusing, Shang-Chi spins aside at the last moment. Toad's foot cracks the solid masonry hard. He screams in pain at stubbing his leg.

"Settle down, Ray Park," a forceful palmstrike smashes Toad's teeth together. Normally, Shang-Chi does not crack jokes while cracking opponents.

Meanwhile, Collective Man makes a move. With the strength of five men, he plows through the remaining Demon-Soldiers like a bull. With the speed of five men, he chases away panicking technicians like a deer. He makes quick work of Demonicus' goons. The fodder cleared, China's super-soldier marches toward Dr. Demonicus, the supervillain.

"You might as well stop now," Dr. Demonicus warns the advancing hero, "You will not stop me from raising the Centipor. I plan ahead. I shall fire this transformation capsule into the sky where the mutation chamber will continue operating. Anon will the awesome Centipor stomp a hundred horrendous feet over Hong Kong!" Demonicus hammers his hand onto the launch button. Rockets roar resoundingly in the lab's large-but-contained space.

Chafed, Collective Man walks coolly up the spiral staircase to Demonicus. With a voice like five men, he conquers the tumult, "You are a fool, doctor. Neither your creature nor your plan could fly under the Chinese radar—to use the American colloquial. You see, Chinese intelligence spotted you immediately. Ours is a very well-surveilled country. We noticed you the moment that you contacted our illicit centipede dealers—and purchased an island used by previous madmen."

"You notice everything, do you?" Demonicus uses a microphone from his control panel. He will not be outvoiced.

"Yes," Collective Man is confident.

"No, you do not," Dr. Demonicus fires a secret weapon kept at his station. The monster-maker uses something essential to his trade.

Dr. Demonicus makes gargantuans, and he needs tranquilizer darts designed to drop giants. A needle pierces the Chinese superman's side. Collective Man might have to reincarnate after this one. He just got a doozy of a dose of drug. He falls face-first into steel steps. China's champion is a limp doll draped drooling on the stairs. Dr. Demonicus turns back to his control panel. He opens the roof hatch above him, and gorgeous sunlight illuminates his work. The creator prepares to launch the Centipor into glory. Behind him, the victor of the Shang-Chi vs. Toad fight bounds onto the dais.

A moment earlier, Toad and Shang-Chi battle. It is superior mutant, homo superior, versus masterful man, skilled homo sapiens. Toad gets his stool softened. Shang-Chi delivers a barrage of blows to the body and brain before throwing Toad over the side of the staircase. Remarkably resilient, Toad lands safely on his strong legs sixteen feet below, although one shank still smarts from kicking a wall. Sans hesitation, Shang-Chi follows and lands safely before the bemused blackguard.

"I am impressed that a humble human has such legs," Toad is impressed.

"Thank you," Shang-Chi humbly replies, "I do have a strong leg." The kung-fu fighter savagely sidekicks Toad into the high voltage box on the wall behind him. The shock shivers Toad several seconds—hair raised, eyes wide, teeth chattering—until he falls face-down at his foe's feet. Yes, Shang-Chi has a strong leg, indeed. Toad wheezes in defeat, so the victor figures that he can look to Dr. Demonicus. He looks. And, to his shock, he sees Collective Man drop like Toad just did. The warrior rushes bravely forward to confront the diabolical deviant.

Upon the dais, Shang-Chi tells Demonicus, "They call me the Master of Kung Fu." The rocket's din drown the man's words.

Unceremoniously, the Master backhands the devil mask right off of the fiend's face. He startles at the disfigured features beneath. The mutilated mouth and evil eyes smile at Shang-Chi's stunned expression. And, Dr. Demonicus raises the lethal tranq gun to the meddler's face. Most tranq guns are single-shot, and they would be empty presently. However, devious Dr. Demonicus has inventively given his a clip.

Shang-Chi beholds the loaded weapon. His deadly hands disarm Demonicus instantly, "They call me the Master of Kung Fu." He leg-sweeps his opponent and drops him on his ass.

On the floor, Dr. Demonicus hits a button on his belt. Suddenly, clamps dislodge from the Centipor's pod, and engines fire in earnest. Acerbic smoke spreads the area, and roiling fires threaten to consume all. The mutating monster shoots into the blue through the open hatch.

Incredibly, Toad leaps for the rocketing pod at the last instant. Amazingly, he catches it. His mutant abilities allow the crazy freak to actually adhere to the missile. Insane, Mortimer Toynbee shall ride the rocket to its apex in the high atmosphere before it plummets back down all the way into the sea's low depths.

His mask missing, Dr. Demonicus smiles a horrible smile into Shang-Chi's face. "I am the master here," Demonicus proclaims, "I, Dr. Demonicus, am legend. Over time, I have created life and have subjugated Godzilla, King of the Monsters. I have been the Overlord of Overlords upon firmament brought forth at my command. I have crushed giant warriors and iron men. And, now, I have bested Snake Marston, Scorpion, Lizard, Toad, and a humble centipede. None of them could top my grand designs. I am the master of monsters and men."

Shang-Chi punches the braggart flat, "I am the Master of Kung Fu."

The champion stands over his dropped opponent. Then, he chuckles a bit at the names that Demonicus just dropped. Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, Toad, and Centipede are characters in The 5 Deadly Venoms, a kung fu flick out of Hong Kong. This adventure's fancy connections are mildly amusing.

Over Shang-Chi's shoulder, Collective Man stands twenty-feet-tall. The martial artist notices him.

"You appear recuperated," Shang-Chi comments.

"Yes," Collective Man explains, "We the Collective Man are never alone in a struggle. We can gather the strength of ten thousand of our countrymen and use the aggregated chi to cleanse our body of any poison—such as enough opium to drop a kaiju."

Shang-Chi follows the Japanese reference, "Well, you stand tall like our Pacific Rim predecessors the Shogun Warriors, Dr. Demonicus' enemies." Dr. Douglas Birely moans a bit lying on the platform's cold aluminum. Dr. Demonicus is done.

The Centipor is not, however. In fact, the leviathan problem is just beginning again. Years ago, the Centipor terrorized the Aleutians. Briefly. Godzilla killed it abruptly after its birth. Now, like Godzilla, the Centipor hastens toward Hong Kong. Like Godzilla, its mighty legs roil the sea bottom beneath it. Like Godzilla, its behemothian body billows the brine above. On shore, scared citizens see the unnaturally tossed South China Sea swelling toward them. They gasp as the abomination's ambling begins agitating the ground. They scream as the beast's enormous antennae and redhead break the blue. Forthwith, the Centipor towers above the shore and its terrified occupants. Like panicked insects, people scatter before the cetacean centipede. Limp Toad lies upon its back like Ahab.

From up in the sky, Sunfire arrives like a superman between the fleeing citizens of this metropolis and the titan-o monster. Here to save the day, Sunfire ignites his vision with hellacious heat, and he outstretches his arms encased in white-hot plasma. Into the face of certain destruction, the superpowered samurai hurls his dragon's breath just as Japan's Godzilla once did at this Centipor's ancestor. And, the magnificent result is the same. There is a great flash, and the air sizzles. A bombastic bolt blasts the Centipor into oblivion. Toad falls through the burning, boiling bio-goop that was the beast, and the surf takes him far to sea. Toad had better hope that he is truly amphibious.

Sunfire pronounces, "The Centipor was a titanic monster. But, like the _Titanic_ , the Centipor was fated to meet disaster on its first voyage—twice now. I have sunk the Centipor."

"Hey, I wanted to save the day," says a voice behind Sunfire.

Sunfire turns to see who it is. "You should have, Maj. Jonas," Sunfire answers Scorch, "What brings you to Hong Kong?"

"The United States intelligence community is the best in the world. We easily tracked Toad to southern China," the chagrined officer gloats.

"The U.S. dares to operate on Chinese soil without our sanction?" a voice speaks behind Scorch. The person sounds very irritated.

Scorch turns to see who it is. A brawny, bald, green-skinned man approaches with two costumed agents behind him. It is Radioactive Man, Collective Man's peer on the People's Defense Force. He is a third party who could have also blown the Centipor into oblivion.

"Why is the U.S. military here without authorization?" a faceless redheaded woman floats in the air over Radioactive Man's shoulder. She glows with a burning aura resembling Sunfire's. She is Lady of Ten Suns.

Scorch hangs his head sheepishly. "Well, I am actually here as a private citizen," Ross Jonas fesses up.

"Me too. And, as a free citizen, I must be going," Shiro Yoshida pats late Scorch disrespectfully upon the pate. Then, he departs.

"Shall I bring him back? I control the very birds over the South China Sea," Spirit Animal queries leader Radioactive Man. The magnanimous Inhuman monk offers his magic.

Dr. Chen Lu shakes his head, "Lady of Ten Suns would be a better match against Sunfire anyway. No, as the Westerners say, let us simply 'Call it a day'."


End file.
